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River guide · Colorado

Fly Fishing the Arkansas River

From Leadville to the Royal Gorge, the Arkansas is Colorado's longest trout river, famous for its spring caddis hatch.

15 shops nearby

See fly shops ↓

When to fish

April–May & July–October

Best months: April–May, July–October

Best
Runoff
Off-peak

Caddis: Mother's Day, late April–May. Blue-winged Olive: spring & fall.

Today's conditions

Where to fish

Buena Vista to the Royal Gorge

Salida2 shopsCañon City1 shop

Buena Vista2 shopsColorado Springs1 shop

Hwy 50 and the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area provide extensive public access from Buena Vista through Salida to the Royal Gorge.

The water

Freestone

Key hatches

Blue-Winged Olive
Midge
Grannom
Golden Stonefly
Caddisfly

Conditions

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6-day forecast

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Forecast from the National Weather Service ↗

Hatch calendar

Months each hatch is active on the Arkansas River, with hook sizes and local timing notes.
Hatch · hook	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Blue-winged Olive(mayflies)hook #16–20spring & fall			March	April	May				September	October
Midge(midges)hook #20–24			March	April	May	June	July	August	September	October
Grannom(caddis)hook #14–16				April	May
Golden Stonefly(stoneflies)hook #8–10					May	June	July
Caddisfly(caddis)hook #10–18						June	July	August	September
Pale Morning Dun(mayflies)hook #16–18summer							July	August	September
Trico(mayflies)hook #22							July	August

Mayflies
Caddis
Stoneflies
Midges
This month

Also on this water

Yellow Sallysummer
Hopper / TerrestrialsAug–Sept

Timing from Big Y Fly Co's Arkansas River hatch chart ↗. Notes are local timing; dates shift a couple of weeks with weather and water.

Fly shops near the Arkansas River

Shops and guides that fish the Arkansas River. See all 114 Colorado shops →

12 fly shops shownArkansas River at Salida

Species on this water

Trout Bass Bonefish Carp Panfish Pike Redfish Salmon Striper Tarpon

Nearby towns

Salida Buena Vista Cañon City

Rivers nearby

Gunnison River South Platte River Rio Grande (Colorado)Blue River

From The Fly Bench

Tie the flies that work on the Arkansas River

Step-by-step tying recipes & videos for these patterns.

Browse patterns at The Fly Bench

Gear up on the Arkansas River

Everything you need before the next trip — rods, lines, leaders, and fly-tying materials.

Shop the gear Flies that work

The flies that work on the Arkansas River

Find the most effective patterns for where you're fishing — and learn to tie them yourself, step by step.

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